March 3/05 7:40 am - Trust House Tour: Stages 2 and 3

Quark rider Tina Mayolo-Pic, riding for the composite Avery Ford Team, set out to defend the yellow leader's jersey she earned on stage 1 of the Trust House Classic today in Wellington, New Zealand.

The day consisted of two stages; the first a 117 km Stage from Featherston to Martinborough via Lake Wairarapa. Why the Kiwi country of New Zealand has produced some of the best sailors in the world became apparent as the winds off the ocean were blowing with such force that a very unusual event occurred; a 20 km neutral start where riders were protected from the caravan from winds that were literally blowing riders off the road. When racing did start attacks began and riders were put in the gutter almost immediately.

Eventually a group of five got up the road containing Nicole Freeman (Western Australia), Katie Brown (AIS), Miho Oki (Japanesse National Team), Catherine Sell (New Zealand National Team ) and Daniela Fusa (Nobili Rubinetterie- Menikini Cogeas). Missing from the break were any of Maylo-Pic's teammates from the composite Avery Ford Team or from second place Oenone Wood's powerfull Nurnberger team. It seemed as if no teams were willing to expend energy putting riders into the wind with a World Cup race just around the corner.

Over the next 30 km the gap hovered between 1:30-2:00 minutes between the smooth functioning breakaway and the Avery Ford led peloton, when the Avery Ford riders sat up in an effort to get other teams to help. With no teams willing, the break was away for good and in the end Freeman won the bunch sprint and took the leaders jersey over her breakaway companions.

The riders had just a few hours to rest up and get some food before they were called to the start line for second stage of the day; a criterium in the Masterton City Centre. Attacks started from the gun as riders could sense that this was going to again be a stage in which a breakaway could succeed. When a break a break of five finally got away, it contained Susanne Ljungskog (Buitenpoort-Flexipoint Team), Trixi Worrack (Nurnberger), Sarah Duster (German National Team), Susie Wood (Mizone) and Sally Cowman (Queensland Academy of Sport).

Once again the breakaway worked very well together and maintained a solid advantage of 40-50 seconds until the peloton awoke with 3 laps to go and put the hammer down. The peloton's hammer just missed its mark and the breakaway survived to sprint it out with the win going to former World Champion Ljungskog. The bunch finished just 5 seconds behind. There was very little change in the Overall GC as Freeman retained the Yellow leaders jersey with just a 12 km TT remaining